New Edition of Huckleberry Finn will eliminate offensive words
Avendesora Send a noteboard - 04/01/2011 07:16:36 PM
Discuss. I heard of this a while ago, but wasn't sure if it was discussed here.
by Mark Memmott
Saying they want to publish a version that won't be banned from some schools because of its language, two scholars are editing Mark Twain's classic Adventures of Huckleberry Finn to eliminate uses of the "N" word and replace it with "slave," Publishers Weekly writes.
The edition, from NewSouth Books, will also shorten an offensive reference to Native Americans.
As PW says, "for decades, [Huckleberry Finn] has been disappearing from grade school curricula across the country, relegated to optional reading lists, or banned outright, appearing again and again on lists of the nation's most challenged books, and all for its repeated use of a single, singularly offensive word."
One of the scholars, Alan Gribben of Auburn University, tells PW that "this is not an effort to render Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn colorblind. ... Race matters in these books. It's a matter of how you express that in the 21st century." (The edited Huck Finn will be included in a volume with Tom Sawyer.)
News of the new edition of Huck Finn has sparked quite a bit of comment on Twitter, where "Huckleberry Finn" is a trending topic as this moment. So far, the consensus of the crowd seems to be that it's not a good idea. One interesting comment from that thread:
"Learning the 'N' word from Huckleberry Finn taught me not to use it bc it was improper, so.. why the change?"
The new edition, PW says, is due to be published by February. Huckleberry Finn was first published in 1884.
by Mark Memmott
Saying they want to publish a version that won't be banned from some schools because of its language, two scholars are editing Mark Twain's classic Adventures of Huckleberry Finn to eliminate uses of the "N" word and replace it with "slave," Publishers Weekly writes.
The edition, from NewSouth Books, will also shorten an offensive reference to Native Americans.
As PW says, "for decades, [Huckleberry Finn] has been disappearing from grade school curricula across the country, relegated to optional reading lists, or banned outright, appearing again and again on lists of the nation's most challenged books, and all for its repeated use of a single, singularly offensive word."
One of the scholars, Alan Gribben of Auburn University, tells PW that "this is not an effort to render Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn colorblind. ... Race matters in these books. It's a matter of how you express that in the 21st century." (The edited Huck Finn will be included in a volume with Tom Sawyer.)
News of the new edition of Huck Finn has sparked quite a bit of comment on Twitter, where "Huckleberry Finn" is a trending topic as this moment. So far, the consensus of the crowd seems to be that it's not a good idea. One interesting comment from that thread:
"Learning the 'N' word from Huckleberry Finn taught me not to use it bc it was improper, so.. why the change?"
The new edition, PW says, is due to be published by February. Huckleberry Finn was first published in 1884.
*MySmiley*
I believe all news and research that supports my opinion, and dismiss the rest as conspiracy and lies.
I believe all news and research that supports my opinion, and dismiss the rest as conspiracy and lies.
New Edition of Huckleberry Finn will eliminate offensive words
- 04/01/2011 07:16:36 PM
2361 Views
That's nothing that new. I read Sawyer and Huck Finn when I was like 10, and it was definitely water
- 04/01/2011 07:45:07 PM
1215 Views
That's new to me.
- 04/01/2011 09:35:05 PM
1235 Views
There's a difference between a kids' version and a normal version with a censored word, though. *NM*
- 04/01/2011 11:19:26 PM
579 Views
Wouldn't the "kids' versions" ALREADY have that word excised? *NM*
- 04/01/2011 11:53:09 PM
595 Views
Read real books then. What kind of ten year old needs to read dumbed down children's books?
- 04/01/2011 11:21:27 PM
1368 Views
my gut says it wrong but my brain says it is OK
- 04/01/2011 09:11:00 PM
1442 Views
No, the goal of the book (or one of them) was to illustrate authentic dialogue. Your brain sucks.
- 04/01/2011 11:49:13 PM
1270 Views
I see logic isn't your strong point.
- 05/01/2011 04:09:27 PM
1299 Views
Re: I see logic isn't your strong point.
- 08/01/2011 01:32:16 AM
1295 Views
it still boils down to the fact that most teachers will not use a book with word nigger in it
- 08/01/2011 02:55:29 AM
1123 Views
Wow. Hmm.
- 04/01/2011 09:31:27 PM
1287 Views
naw Twain was a pinko liberal *NM*
- 04/01/2011 09:46:57 PM
594 Views
"Roar! You changed my book and now I eats you! Bwahaha"...umm...we really need a zombie smiley.
- 04/01/2011 10:59:39 PM
1203 Views
It's probably a bad idea
- 04/01/2011 11:06:02 PM
1138 Views